Musical instrument



Oct. 1, 1929. R. DOPYERA MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 6, 1927 Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed August 6,

This invention relates to stringed musical instruments and more particularly to banjos, ukuleles, and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stringed musical instrument with improved means for securing the neck of the instrument to the rim thereof, and for holding the rim firmly and true against warping so that true notes will always be produced when the instrument is played by picking its strings.

Another object is to provide a stringed musical instrument with improved means for accommodating the flesh hoop and tightening ring without a step out in the end of the neck, making it possible to cut the end of the neck off straight, whereby the neck and rim may be more easily, quickly and cheaply secured together.

Other objects will appear as the description progresses.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a banjo embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of my invention taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of my invention taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the novel rim frame of my invention.

Corresponding reference characters designate the same parts in all the views.

In the drawing I have shown a banjo in cluding a rim 1, a neck 2, a membrane 3, resonator 4, flesh hoop 5, tightening ring 6, brackets 7, a tail piece 8, bridge 9, keys 10, and strings 11 connected at one end to said tail piece and extending over said bridge and wound on said keys respectively.

Within the rim 1, I place my novel frame 12 which may be made of aluminum or other suitable material in the form of a cross and comprises a longitudinal bar 13 and a cross 1927. Serial a... 211,208.

bar 14, whichbars are set upright on their edges and intersect each other midway of their ends, the frame being fitted in the rim with the intersection of the frame in the center of the rim, and the frame bars 13 and 14 on the longitudinal axis of the rim adjacent the inner end of the neck 2 and under the tail piece 8, and the ends of thebar 14 engaging the inside of the rim at diametrically opposite points on the transverse axis of the rim.

The end of the bar 13 adjacent the neck 2 is formed with a boss 15 provided with a longitudinal bore 16 extending therethrough, and both of the bars 13 and 14 are provided with openings 17 therein to lighten the frame and to facilitate musical vibration of the instrument, one of the openings 17 of the bar 13 extending to the inner end of the boss 15, so that a screw 18 may be extended through the boss bore 16 and driven into the inner end of the neck 2 and transversely through a dowel 19 in said end of the neck, whereby the neck is firml and detachably secured to the rim 1 and said end of the bar detachably secured to the rim.

The other end of the frame bar 13 is detachably secured to the rim 1 by a bolt 20 extending from the outside through the wall of the rimand seated in said end of the bar. The ends of the bar 14 are detachably secured to the wall of the rim by bolts 21 extending from the outside through said wall and seated in the ends of the bar. The ends of the bars 13 and 14 have steps 22 cut therein at the upper portion thereof for the purpose hereinafter described.

The frame 12 holds the rim rigid and firmly against warping and in true alinement with the neck so that true notes may always be played on the instrument.

The upper portion 23 of the rim 1 is reduced slightly in diameter to accommodate the flesh hoop 5 and the tightening ring 6, so that said hoop and ring may hold the membrane 3 over the upper inturned edge 24 of the rim 1 and may be drawn down a sufficient distance to further tighten the membrane on the rim. The reduced portion 23 its in the steps 22 of frame 12. The reduced portion 23 of the rim makes it unnecessary to cut a step in the upper portion of the end of the neck to accommodate the flesh hoop 5 and tightening ring Gas is usual in standard construction, and'makes it possible to cut the end of the neck straight across as indicated at 25, thusreducingthe cost of manufacture of the neck and making it possible to-fit the-neck and'rim together more quickly.

Although I have shown and de scribed a' preferred embodiment of imy invention, 1t 1 will be understood that I may change or modify the'sa-me-withi-n the'scope of the appended claims without. departing from the spirit thereof. M

What I claim is: y y

1. In combination with a rim and neck of a stringed musical instrument, an integral frame including a plurality of radially d1sposed'a-rms fitted with-in saidrim, with the ends of said arms engaging theinner side of the rim, one end of one of said arms being provided with a bore, a screw extending through said bore and'the rim and into said neck to hold the neck on the rim, and bolts extending through the rim and engaging the ends of said'other arms for securing the frame to said rim.

2.. A stringed musical instrument comprising an annular rim having a reduced top portion and a bottom portion bent outwardly at right angles and thence downwardly, a membrane covering said topv portion, a retaining ring embracing the margins of said membrane and telescoping said top portion, a cover provided with an annular flange abutting the outwardly bent bottom portion, a plurality of attaching members having the r upper ends engaging the upper edge of sald retaining ring and their lower portions extended through the bottom of said rim and said'cover, nuts carried on the lower ends of said bottom portions for holding said ringand'said cover in position, and a frame internally of said rim providedwithja plurality of radially disposed arms recessed at their ends to conform to the cross sectional shape of said rim, and means for attaching said arm to said rim. 7

' 3. A stringed musical instrument comprising an annular rim having a reduced top portion and a bottom portion bent outwardly at right angles and thence downwardly, a membrane covering said top'portion, a retaining ring embracing the margins of said membrane and telescoping said top portion, a cover provided with an annular flange abutting the outwardly bent bottom portion, a plurality of attaching members having their upper ends engaging the upper edge of said retaining ring and their lower portions extended through the bottom of said rim and said cover, nuts carried on the lower ends of said bottom portions for holding said ring and said cover in position, a frame internally of said rim provided with a plurality of radially disposed arms recessed at their ends to conform to the cross sectional shape of said rim, means for attaching said arm to said rim, a neck having an enlargement overlying a portion of said rim and abutting the periphery thereof, and means extendingthrough one of said arms and into the enlargement of said neck for attaching the neck to the rim.

4. A stringed musical instrument comprising an annular metallic rim, a frame internally of said rim provided with a plurality of radially disposed arms abutting the inner periphery of the: rim, a neck having an enlargement abutting the outer periphery of said rim and provided with a dowel therein, means extendin through one of said arms and intothe enlargement of said neck and insertable through said dowel for attaching the neck to the rim, and'means for attaching the other of saidarms to said rim.

' 5; A string-ed musical instrument comprising an annular metallic rim, a frame internally of'said rim-providedwith a plurality of radially disposed arms abutting the inner periphery'of the rim, a neck having an enlargement abutting the outer periphery of said rim and provided with a doweltherein, means extending through one of said arms and into the enlargement of said neck and insertable through said dowel for attaching the neck to the rim, and means for attaching the other of said arms to said rim, a membrane covering the-top of said rim, a cover over the bottom of said rim, and common means for holding said membrane and said cover on saidrim.

6. A stringed musical instrument comprising an annular rim bent at the bottom to form aim-enlarged annular flange of right angular cross section, a membrane stretched over the top of' said rim a retaining ring telescoping said rim and the'margins of said membrane, a cover over the bottom of said rim provided with anannular flange fitting within the flange onsaidrim, common means for holding said retaining ring, said membrane and said cover in position on said rim, and an integral frame internally of said rim comprising aplurality of radially disposed arms attached to the rim at their ends for reenforcing the same. i

7. A stringed musical instrument comprising an annular r'im bent at the bottom to form an enlarged annular flange of right angular cross'section, a membrane stretched over the top of said rim,a retaining ring telescoping said rim and the margins of said membrane, a cover over the bottom of said rim provided with an annular flange fitting within the flange on said rim, common means for holding said retaining ring, said membrane and said cover in position on said rim, an integral frame internally of said rim comprising a plurality of radially disposed arms attached to the rim at their ends for reenforcing the same, and a neck having an enlargement abutting the external periphery of said rim and overlying the flange on said rim, and means for connecting said frame with said neck for detachably holding the neck in position on the rim.

RUDOLPH DOPYERA. 

